Auxiliary hot water heater



Sept. 24, 1963 c, GATZA 3,104,651

AUXILIARY HOT WATER HEATER Filed June 15, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

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Sept. 24, 1963 c. J. GATZA 3,104,651

AUXILIARY HQT WATER HEATER I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 15, 1960 IN V EN TOR.

p 1963 c. J. GATZA 3,104,651

AUXILIARY HOT WATER HEATER Filed June 15, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 2/ IN VEN TOR.

2/ Kks er ffga United States Patent 3,104,651 AUXILIARY HGT WATER HEATER Casper J. Gatza, 121 N. Mayfield, Chicago 44, Ill. Filed June 15, 1960, Ser. No. 36,255 3 Claims. (Cl. 12220) This invention relates to improvements in heat transfer devices and has reference more particularly to improvements in auxiliary hot water heating apparatus.

It is well known that the heating system commonly employed in residences, small apartments houses and small commercial buildings are very inefiicient. In the ordinary furnace employing coal, and to some extent when gas or oil is employed, the gases of combustion enter the smoke pipe at a temperature much higher than that required for draft purposes and all heat in excess of this is wasted.

For many years the heating engineers, especially in the oil burner industry, have been faced with the problem of making an eflicient oil burner installation on conversion jobs; that is where an oil burner is installed in an ordinary cast iron boiler originally designed for coal firing. The usual converted boiler alone cannot absorb and transmit the heat from the oil burner fast enough, and as a result the heat loss in such systems is sometimes as high as 60% of the heat actually liberated by the oil burner, the loss being caused by the heat going up the chimney caused by the forced draft of the oil burner.

It is the primary object of this invention toproduce an apparatus and a combination of elements by means of which a large amount of the heat that would otherwise pass to and up the chimney will be conserved and utilized.

A further object of this invention is to produce a heat exchange unit of such construction that it can be readily installed in any heating plant.

A still further object of this invention is to produce a heat exchange unit constructed of materials which will readily absorb and transfer heat, such as copper, brass, and/or the combination of like materials, and so shaped that the hot gases will contact large surface areas to facilitate heat transfer.

Another object of this invention is to produce a heat exchange unit which can be installed in the fire chamber of the boiler, that will improve the efficiency of the boiler by acting as a sponge, absorbing from the oil flame of an oil burner, the heat which ordinarily goes up the chimney, thereby shortening the operating period of the burner, effecting a great saving in oil employed, thereby reducing the chimney temperature, preventing chimney fire due to excessively high stack temperature, and in general increasing the life of the over-all unit.

And still another object of this invention is to provide an auxiliary heating unit which can be readily installed in a boiler unit, one that can be readily removed, permiting servicing without breaking pipe connections, and which can be easily and quickly cleaned Within the fir chamber of the boiler.

The above and other objects as may appear as the description proceeds are attained by means of a construction in detail, and for this purpose reference will be had to the accompanying drawings in which the invention ha been illustrated, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a combined front elevational and sectional view of the boiler and auxiliary heating unit, em-

bodying a booster unit in which a hydro-injection Syphon unit is employed;

FIGURE 1A is a side elevational view of the unit shown by FIG. 1 with certain portions of the boiler and pipes broken away to show installation of the various elements;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the auxiliary heating unit,

Patented Sept. 24, 1963 ice which will be referred to as a heat booster unit throughout the specification;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the auxiliary heating unit shown by FIG. 2;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the auxiliary heating unit taken substantially on line 4--4 of FIG. 2;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of the auxiliary heating units taken substantially on line 55 of FIGURE 4, a fragmentary portion thereof shown by full lines;

FIGURE 6 is an end elevational view of the unit shown by FIGURES 2 and 3;

FIGURE 7 is a vertical sectional view of the unit taken substantially on line 77 of FIG. 5;

FIGURE 8 is an internal plan view of the upper section of the auxiliary heating unit;

FIGURE 9 is an internal plan view of the lower sec.- tion of the auxiliary heating unit; and 5 FIGURE 10 is a side elevational view, with a fragmentary portion in section, of the divider head forming a part of the auxiliary heating unit.

IGURE 11 is a combined front elevational and sectional view of the boiler and auxiliary heating unit shown by FIG. 1 and embodying a modified form of installation where a hydro-injector-syphon unit is also employed; and

FIGURE 12 is a side elevational view of the unit shown by FIG. 11, with certain portions of the boiler and pipes broken away to show installation of the various elements.

As has previously been mentioned, it is desirable to install auxiliary heating units, or booster units, within a boiler formerly burning coal or the like. Accordingly, it has been found advantageous to show the booster unit assembled in an old type boiler as a method of illustration.

Applicants booster unit 14 is such a device and comprises generally a housing 15 which is composed of three separable elements, an upper section 16, a lower section 17 and a divider plate 118. Said upper section being formed with a peripheral flange 19 embodying a plurality of holes 20 therein and equally spaced thereabout, the said lower section being formed with a peripheral flange 34 embodying a plurality of holes 21 therein and equally spaced thereabout. The divider plate 18 is formed with a plurality of holes 23 spaced about the peripheral edge thereof. The holes 20, 22 and 23 are so arranged and spaced from each other so that they are in vertical alignment with each other when said sections 16, 17 and di vider plate 18 are assembled together in a horizontal manner, whereby bolts 24 may be inserted through the holes for securing the same in a'workable arrangement. A pair of gaskets 25 and 26 are provided and they are formed with holes 27 which align with holes 23 in the divider plate when they are placed on the opposite sides of said divider plate and thereby spacing the upper and lower sections from said divider plate, as will be explained later. The upper section 16 is formed with an external boss 28 and a plurality of external longitudinal fins 29. The lower section 17 is formed with an external boss 30 and a plurality of external longitudinal fins 31, said boss 28 embodying a vertical, threaded bore 33, said bores 32 and 33 being in vertical alignment with each other when the heat exchange unit, or booster unit, is in assembled form, as shown by FIGURES 2, 3, and 4.

The boiler 40 having the booster unit 14 with housing 15 assembled therein, as shown particularly by FIGS. 1 and 1A having an outer casing designated 41. This casing 41 preferably rests on a floor such as represented by line 42. Located at an appropriate place on the floor 42 within the casing 41, is a vertical wall 47 formed by layers of bricks 43. These bricks may be of any type commonly employed in furnace construction. The inner wall sur face 48 of the bricks 43 made of refractory material, forms the fire pct 44. Extending through the wall 47 forming the fire pot 44 is a conduit 45 which communicates at its inner end with the fire pot 44 and at its outer end with an oil burner represented diagrammatically at 46. In its preferred embodiment, the boiler of this invention is intended to be heated by an oil burner as illustrated in the drawings. However, it is to be understood that the invention, the booster unit, is not to be limited in this respect. Gas, coal, or other fuel may be employed as the heating means without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Supported on the upper surface of the wall 47 is the structure which provides a water leg 49. The water leg extends entirely around the boiler and is defined by an inner wall 50 and an outer Wall adjacent said housing 15. The inner wall 50 encloses the fire chamber 51 through which the gases of combustion travel from the fire pot 44-.

Communicating with the water leg 49 at the lower end thereof is a pipe 52 which is intended to be connected to the return line 53 of the heating system with which the boiler 40 is used. The return line has a valve 54 attached thereto and a fresh water line 55 is connected to the valve 54 whereby additional water maybe added when needed.

Communicating with the water leg 49 at the upper end thereof is a hot Water pipe forming a riser 58 which is intended to be connected to the entrance side of said heating system which is used with this boiler.

The fire chamber 51 is closed at the top by a suitable wall, not shown, and the flue outlet -9 extends through the top wall of the fire chamber to communicate with the fire chamber 51 and carry out the gases of combustion.

Directly above the boiler, and adjacent thereto, is a coupling 75 connected directly to the upper end of the riser 53 and having .an extension 76 connected to the upper end of the coupling. A pipe line 77 is connected to the lower end of the coupling 75 and extends downwardly to the lower level of the water leg 49 where a booster pump 63 is connected thereto. A pipe T 64 is installed directly below the pump 63 to provide a cleanout pipe 65 extending vertically downward therefrom, the free end of the pipe 65 having a valve 66 connected therewith whereby water can be drained from the line. A pipe 67 is horizontally assembled with the T 64 and extends through the brick wall 47 and is then connected with the lower section 17. A second pipe 78 extends downwardly from the upper end of the coupling 75 then through the bottom wall and is connected into the upper section 15 of the booster unit 14. Thus it is clear that water drawn from the bottom of the coupling 75 through pipe 77 is forced by the pump 63 through the booster unit 14 and back to the top of the coupling 75 through the pipe 78.

An assembly of the booster unit 14 with the boiler 40 is shown more clearly in FIGS. 1 and 1A. The riser 58 extends a short distance above the boiler and a coupling 75 is vertically assembled therewith and thereabove. The second riser extension 76 is assembled with the uppermost end of the coupling 75 and connects with the inlet side of the heating system. The coupling 75 has two horizontal openings, spaced one above the other, the line 77 is threaded in the lower opening and extends to the pump 63, as described before. The line 78 connected with the booster 14 is threaded in the upper opening in the coupling 75 and its free end has an L-shaped outlet 79 assembled therewith, the vertical leg 80 extending upwardly and terminating at the entrance to the riser extension 76. The travel of the heated water through the coupling 75 and riser extension 76 eflects a syphoning action upon the outlet of said vertical leg 84); this construction effectsa hydro-injector-syphon means which augments and/ or increases the efficiency of the booster unit.

The housing 15 of the booster unit 14 embodies the upper and lower elliptical sections as described above. The external fins 29 and 31 are integral partsof the sections and so arranged longitudinally so as to efficiently absorb heat from the products of combustion passing upwardly within the interior of the fire chamber. upper and lower sections are also formed with internal longitudinal fins 81 and 82', respectively. The water passing through the booster unit 14 will efliciently absorb heat from the internal fins 81 and 82. The upper section 16 has a vertical, longitudinal wall 84 extending from the forward end thereof adjacent the outlet 0 to a short distance inwardly from the opposite end thereof. The

and 26 therebetween, not only are the gaskets compressed 1 by the flanges of the upper and lower sections, but by the longitudinal walls $4 and 86. The Water is forced by the pump 63 through inlet P into qudrant A, where it travels into quadrant B around the end of the vertical wall 86 into quadrant C and then to quadrant D. The divider plate 18 has a water passage, or hole E, arranged at the forward side of the longitudinal center line so it forms 1 a channel of communication between quadrant D and quadrant F, directly above quadrant D. The water then.

passes from quadrant F to quadrant G, then around the end of the wall 84 to quadrants H and I ad then vertical'ly out through outlet 0 from quadrant J of the upper section 16. The upper and lower sections can be con-' sidered to each have a horizontal U-shaped water channel, the water traveling clockwise in the lower section The i and counterclockwise in the upper section; the water g traveling therethrough absorbing the heat from the internal longitudinal fins 81 and 82. The bolts 24 rigidly secure the various parts of the booster unit 14 together, forming a single unit with two U shape water passages therein, one above the other.

The booster unit 14 is connected to the riser 58 after it is suitably arranged and supported within the fire chamber, the booster unit being preferably made ofhigh thermo-conductivity material which absorbs heat faster than the cast iron inner wall' surfaces of the water leg 49. As is clearly observed, the booster unit is always full of water as long as the heating system is full of water and filling the water leg and riser attached thereto. The pump 63 only forces water through the unit when the oil burner, or the like, is in action. The water is heated more rapidly within the booster unit than through the inner walls of the boiler, forming the walls of the water leg, thereby causing rapid heating and perhaps steaming of the water therein. Heat containing gases of combustron escaping around the booster unit causes the water in the unit to be heated much sooner and is passed through the heating system before the water from the water leg starts to travel through he heating system. The

gases of combustion are now relatively cool'and escape out through the furnace flue at lower than normal tem- I i peratures, saving destruction to the chimney by excessive heat. The boiler is therefore highly efficient in use and serves to produce hot water at great rapidity while 7 using are-latively small quantity of fuel.

Byslight modification, the booster unit of the present invention may be used to advantage wherever steam is generated, and the same can easily be installed in furnaces or boilers by merely drilling and tapping two holes for receiving the inlet and outlet pipes to the booster unit.

. The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics-there V i of. Hence, the present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects merely as being illustrative and 5 not in a limiting sense.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a heating system and a boiler having a fire chain- I ber, a water leg, a hot Water pipe extending upwardly above the boiler from the water leg, and a flue outlet for the hot gases of combustion from the fire chamber; in combination with a booster unit within and smaller than the fire chamber for abstracting heat directly and quickly from the gases of combustion within the fire chamber before said gases leave the fire chamber through the said flue outlet said booster unit having a water inlet extending to the outside of the boiler and a water outlet extending to the outside of the boiler, means forming an enlarged cylindrical coupling member extending upwardly from said water leg, 9. riser assembly extending from the upper end of the coupling member, said coupling member having an upper opening and a lower opening means in its vertical side wall spaced vertically one above the other, said riser forming a supply line in said heating system, a water pipe connected between the lower opening means in the coupling member and the water inlet means in said booster unit a circuflator type water pump assembled in said water line between the coupling member and the booster unit, a water pipe line connected between the water inlet means of said booster unit and the upper opening means of the coupling member, an L- shaped outlet member in the coupling member from the upper opening means having its upper end within said coupling member and terminating adjacent the entrance to said riser assembly at the upper end of the coupling member, whereby the water received by said housing from said coupling member under pressure caused by the pump is returned to the coupling member and forced into the entrance of the riser at a temperature greater than that of the temperature in the water leg, hereby forcing hot water directly into the heat riser from the said booster unit before the water in the water leg is heated to its highest temperature for normal operation in said riser.

2. The combination with a boiler having a fire chamber and a flue outlet for the escape of hot gases of combustion therefrom, a booster fitting having an inlet and an outlet, said booster fitting being within and smaller than the fire chamber for receiving the first heat therefrom and comprising passages extending from said inlet to said outlet, a normal heating pipeline extending upwardly from the boiler, a cylindrical coupling in the pipeline above the boiler and pipe connections from the booster inlet into the lower end of the pipe coupling, a riser pipe extending from the upper end of the cylindrical coupling, and another pipe connection from the booster outlet to the upper end of the pipe coupling said another pipe connection having a bent connection extending through the upper end of the coupling and into the riser pipe leaving a space between it and the riser pipe, whereby the Water received in said riser from the booster is injected into said riser at a temperature greater than that of the temperature of the water in the boiler, and thereby sending hot water direct to the riser before water in the boiler is heated to a heating temperature for normal operation.

3. A quick heating boiler device in accordance with claim 2 in which a water circulating pump is inserted in the pipe connection from the lower end of the cylindrical coupling to force water through the booster through said another pipe connection to the upper and outer end of the cylindrical coupling utilizing the quick heating eflect of the booster before the ordinary riser action of the boiler is obtained in the normal operation of the boiler.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS France June 9, 1954 

1. IN A HEATING SYSTEM AND A BOILER HAVING A FIRE CHAMBER, A WATER LEG, A HOT WATER PIPE EXTENDING UPWARDLY ABOVE THE BOILER FROM THE WATER LEG, AND A FLUE OUTLET FOR THE HOT GASES OF COMBUSTION FROM THE FIRE CHAMBER; IN COMBINATION WITH A BOOSTER UNIT WITHIN AND SMALLER THAN THE FIRE CHAMBER FOR ABSTRACTING HEAT DIRECTLY AND QUICKLY FROM THE GASES OF COMBUSTION WITHIN THE FIRE CHAMBER BEFORE SAID GASES LEAVE THE FIRE CHAMBER THROUGH THE SAID FLUE OUTLET SAID BOOSTER UNIT HAVING A WATER INLET EXTENDING TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE BOILER AND A WATER OUTLET EXTENDING TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE BOILER, MEANS FORMING AN ENLARGED CYLINDRICAL COUPLING MEMBER EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID WATER LEG, A RISER ASSEMBLY EXTENDING FROM THE UPPER END OF THE COUPLING MEMBER, SAID COUPLING MEMBER HAVING AN UPPER OPENING AND A LOWER OPENING MEANS IN ITS VERTICAL SIDE WALL SPACED VERTICALLY ONE ABOVE THE OTHER, SAID RISER FORMING A SUPPLY LINE IN SAID HEATING SYSTEM, A WATER PIPE CONNECTED BETWEEN THE LOWER OPENING MEANS IN THE COUPLING MEMBER AND THE WATER INLET MEANS IN SAID BOOSTER UNIT A CIRCULATOR TYPE WATER PUMP ASSEMBLED IN SAID WATER LINE BETWEEN THE COUPLING MEMBER AND THE BOOSTER UNIT, A WATER PIPE LINE CONNECTED BETWEEN THE WATER INLET MEANS OF SAID BOOSTER UNIT AND THE UPPER OPENING MEANS OF THE COUPLING MEMBER, AN LSHAPED OUTLET MEMBER IN THE COUPLING MEMBER FROM THE UPPER OPENING MEANS HAVING ITS UPPER END WITHIN SAID COUPLING MEMBER AND TERMINATING ADJACENT THE ENTRANCE TO SAID RISER ASSEMBLY AT THE UPPER END OF THE COUPLING MEMBER, WHEREBY THE WATER RECEIVED BY SAID HOUSING FROM SAID COUPLING MEMBER UNDER PRESSURE CAUSED BY THE PUMP IS RETURNED TO THE COUPLING MEMBER AND FORCED INTO THE ENTRANCE OF THE RISER AT A TEMPERATURE GREATER THAN THAT OF THE TEMPERATURE IN THE WATER LEG, HEREBY FORCING HOT WATER DIRECTLY INTO THE HEAT RISER FROM THE SAID BOOSTER UNIT BEFORE THE WATER IN THE WATER LEG IS HEATED TO ITS HIGHEST TEMPERATURE FOR NORMAL OPERATION IN SAID RISER. 